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Tuesday, 3 February 2015

On AIB Knockout

So yeah! That happened! And the internet has been taken by a storm. Haw! How dare they? How could they? That was so racist! They brought in their families to watch this? Values? Society? OMG!

The knockout created all kinds of furore and although I am not a big fan of cussing, I do understand how it helps one exaggerate and make a point. There were no punches pulled and most jokes seemed to be well written and rehearsed.

Problem? The problem is that as a nation, once again, we have overreacted to something so trivial. It is just a video on the internet targeting no one in particular and offending everyone on purpose. It is an art form and is being pursued earnestly. In parts, they failed but only because the punch didn't come along as nicely as thought. How can a conservative person watch these videos even after being given due warning and then pass a decision that it was bad or good. The people who are critiquing it are doing it on grounds that it contained foul language. The funny bit is, AIB is not contesting it. It announces in its opening shot that the show is going to be offensive. People watch it, take offence and then lodge complaints. Funny country. Imagine what would happen if a bunch of atheists tell you how to offer prayers to God! Would that look sensible?

Is it a bad influence on kids? Well, it isn't that kids have no access to internet these days and this video specially is being dropped in their laps. If there is due warning and it is available only for a mature audience, it is now an issue of good or bad parenting if you let your kids watch foul language.

Coming to the jokes on Ashish Shakya's colour and Tanmay Bhat's weight. They took it pretty well. It was insult comedy. Maybe it was distasteful but they're not contesting it. So, a bunch of guys had fun and uploaded their video on the internet. Nobody was offended and you're offended about the fact that these people are so chill about their body image?

You might say that such videos encourage cruel jokes on dark-skinned and fat people. So, umm.. you mean to say AIB invented racism? India is the worst country to grow up for a dark-skinned person. These jokes were at least funny and were on adults. I, as a dark kid in school, had to listen to the meanest jokes about the colour of my skin from kids who were spoonfed since childhood that black is ugly.'Don't play in the Sun, you will be dark and then no one will marry you.', 'Mishraji's daughter is otherwise good, it is just that her complexion is a bit dark, tut, tut!' - We are one of the most racist people on Earth and now we're offended by a 'Kala Khatta' joke? I am clenching my fists at the mere thought of this hypocrisy.

I am not saying what they did was good or bad. All I am saying is, chill!

I draw cartoons, but won't call myself a cartoonist. I write fiction and non-fiction, I ramble, but won't call myself a writer. I am athletic and I like to read but won't call myself an Acrobat Reader!